The 20th anniversary Hyde Park Jazz Festival
is September 26-27, 2026
The Festival is a free event, although we welcome a $10 donation. We look forward to seeing you!
be in touch
We welcome any ideas, comments, stories, resource tips, etc. from the community. *NOTE: to submit music, please use the music submissions page. music submissions entered into this contact form will not be considered.
Chicago Tribune
By Hannah Edgar
Photo By Anastasia Busby
Horrible as it was, Kate Dumbleton saw it coming.Like so many arts administrators, the executive director of the Hyde Park Jazz Festival kept a watchful eye on the news after President Trump announced his intent to cut funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. A glimmer of hope arrived in January, when the agency reaffirmed that the $30,000 promised to the festival would, indeed, be coming through.
It turned out to be false hope. A second letter, in May, announced that the festival’s offer letter had been withdrawn. By now already booked, the festival was left to figure out the shortfall on its own.
“It was a gut punch,” says Dumbleton.